Revolution
by patricia51
Summary: Stevie is dead. But the movement she started didn't die with her. And in a world of magic "dead" does not always mean "gone". Takes place some months after "The Good, the Bad and the Alex" and is a follow-up to my story "CleanUp". Now complete.
1. The Meeting

Revolution by patricia51

(Stevie is dead. But the movement she started didn't die with her. And in a world of magic "dead" does not always mean "gone". Takes place some months after "The Good, the Bad and the Alex" and is a follow-up to my story "CleanUp" . My thanks to WyldCard4 for her suggestion about Jeremy.)

(The Meeting)

The young man looked around the room. Besides the three others sitting at the table with him a number of faces seemed to float about the room. He knew that each of them was a wizard, a wizard who had either lost the family competition and had fled from the results or one who was in danger of losing his or her powers in an upcoming competition.

"Then it's agreed?" he asked rather formally. "Even with the loss we have suffered we will go ahead?"

"I don't think we have any other choice," replied one the girls seated at the table. "We've gone too far to just bow out heads and meekly submit to the Wizard Council."

"And suffered too much of a loss." this came from a black-haired young man who would have been handsome were it not for the angry look that seemed to be a permanent fixture on his face. He put his hands palm down on the table as though he was going to push himself to his feet.

The final member of the foursome reached over and covered the last speaker's right hand with her own. She squeezed gently

"It's alright Dennis. We understand. Stevie Nichols was an inspiration to all of us. Without her we never would have got this far. And we sitting here know how much she meant to you. But the best monument we, you, can build to Stevie is to continue her dream, make it a reality."

All four nodded in agreement.

"So what is the first order of business?" asked the original speaker.

"I believe that first we need to find out how compromised we are. What does this Alex Russo know about us? Us personally that is as opposed to the aim of our group to insure that all wizards get to keep their powers. Can she identify us? What, if anything, has she told the Wizard Council?"

"I'd like that assignment, Kat," Dennis all but snarled.

"No, Dennis." the other male at the table declared firmly. "And you know why. You'll be going after vengeance for Stevie's death, not what you can find out about what she might or might not know. Be patient my friend."

"That's easy for you to say Sean."

"No it's not. I cared for Stevie too. But vengeance can wait until we have done what we originally set you to accomplish. What Stevie wanted for all of us." He turned his attention to one of the floating faces.

Sean knew, as did the four members of the Inner Circle, that each of the astral projecting faces was the leader of a group of disaffected young wizards. The members of each of those groups were known only to the group itself, the leader, and of course the member of the Inner Circle. That had been set up from the beginning, when the entire movement had consisted only of Stevie and the four of them. That way if a new recruit to the movement proved to be false or an agent of the Wizard Council only that small group could be betrayed.

No one had ever imagined that Stevie herself would take a false step and enlist someone who would prove as treacherous as Alex Russo had been to the very leader of the revolution. It had almost destroyed the movement. But "almost" didn't count in this case.

"Becky? Isn't Jeremy one of your people?"

The disembodied female face Sean was addressing nodded. "Yes. He attended the same school as Alex. He couldn't get close to her but he was working to ingratiate himself with her best friend Harper. But when Stevie was testing Alex she made a hole appear in front of him as he was walking past and he toppled into it. Of course he transported himself safely away before it closed. Russo's reaction was just what Stevie, Jeremy and I thought it would be."

"Could he go back there now?"

"Certainly. He'd just have to appear a bit dazed and confused about what happened and where he had been. Which is what would be expected of a mortal who had been through the experience it seemed like he had."

"As I understand the next step was to have him start dating Harper."

"Yes." Becky sighed. "But Stevie, and I bear some of the blame too because I agreed, thought it wasn't going to be needed, that Alex was a perfect recruit to our cause."

"Do you think he'll have trouble?"

"I don't think so. She has quite a crush on Justin Russo, Alex's older brother who is almost the certain winner of that family's contest. But it's a pretty unrequited crush and according to a note Stevie left Harper was thinking Jeremy WAS going to ask her out."

The foursome exchanged looks. "Good," said Sean. "Becky, have Jeremy 'reappear' and see what he can find out. Have him be careful. Alex is erratic and whimsical as well as a stone cold betrayer."

Laura, the fourth member of the group spoke now. "I think the next thing to do is to speed up our recruitment. We only need a few more wizards to join and we will have enough to do the spell that Stevie created."

"We need to be careful though," objected Kat. "If someone recruits another Alex Russo we could all be exposed just when the prize is within our reach. I think even if the Wizard Council knows of Stevie's plan they will assume that it died with her."

"Can we afford to take that chance?" asked Sean.

"We've taken a lot of chances," Dennis pointed out. "Let's not falter this close to the end."

"Agreed," said Sean. The two young women added their assent. The foursome stood, raised their right arms and bumped fists.

"To our destiny!" They cried, a cry that was echoed by the others attending. The astral visitors winked out, leaving only the Inner Circle members. Sean snapped his fingers and the light went off for several seconds. When it came back on the room was empty.

Or almost empty. A shadow fluttered across the now vacant table. A shadow that resembled the vague outline of a human form. A shadow that shouldn't have been there because there was nothing to cast it.

(To Be Continued)  



	2. Stevie Who?

Revolution Chapter 2 by patricia51

(I think the most common thought and objection I've gathered concerning "The Good, The Bad and the Alex" is "Why in the world would Alex act this way?". It DOES seem strange that Alex, a well-known rebel who never met a rule she didn't want to break would turn on a friend in order to maintain the status quo.)

(Stevie Who?)

Alex Russo sighed. She had been doing a lot of that lately it seemed. Thanks to Mister Laritate she had accepted back into the student body, well, at least as much as she wanted to be accepted anyway. She admitted that it had stung to be ignored but being whom she was she was liable to ignore other people anyway. Sometimes she thought there was really something wrong with her.

That troubled her. Yes, she had told the truth but even then it had been selective. She really didn't think all those people she had insulted were really as bad as the words that had come out had painted them. Oh well, yes, maybe the "Woo Girls" were but golly.

Of course she was NOT going to forgive Justin any time soon for not taking off the truth spell before she had made her award acceptance speech. And she might never, EVER forgive him for her blurting out one last truth; the truth that she kept people at arm's length to avoid getting hurt.

But look what lowering her defenses and allowing people in did. There was Mason. She could close her eyes even now and feel the rain falling on her as she snuggled against him.

"One more thing," she had said. "Kiss me". He had and her whole body and spirit had thrilled when he did. Thinking about it now made her realize how much she had been hurt by his blurted admission he loved Juliet. Then he HAD to go and prove he really DID love her and be snatched away from her.

And Justin, though he usually managed to hide it, was still in a lot pain over losing Juliet. And losing her twice no less. She understood. Losing Mason still troubled her although, being Alex, she was much more able to shove those thoughts into a corner of her mind and ignore them than her brother could.

Also in her case again there had been... Who had there been? Something tickled at the edge of her consciousness. Not someone she had loved but someone she had become very close to as a friend in a short period of time and then...

Then what? Alex searched her memory and shrugged. She didn't have friends. Well, Harper of course but Harper was more like her sister than a friend. And speaking of Harper there she was. With some guy in tow.

"Hey Alex, guess what? Jeremy has finally asked me out!"

Alex offered some really insincere congratulations to Harper and the boy with her whom she vaguely recalled was in Science class with them. She acknowledged that she probably would know him better if she bothered to actually GO to that class.

The comments she made flew right over Harper's head as always, the other girl accepting them at face value. But Alex was surprised to see a look appear on Jeremy's face. There was surprise but something flashing in his eyes seemed much deeper and even darker. It was a mixture of surprise and, of all things, anger, an anger so strong that Alex nearly took a step back. Then it was gone as quickly as it had appeared and the usual placid and distracted look she had come to associate with him, like other Science nerds, returned.

Alex enjoyed teasing people. She knew it. She teased her brothers, her parents, her teachers and most of all the other students. But she didn't intend for the teasing to be mean. Not really. She left that up to Gigi and the Wanna-be's. Her sarcasm was more intended to deflate people rather than be hurtful. So she made a promise that she wouldn't speak like that when Jeremy was around. Obviously he HAD caught the meaning behind her words and it had bothered him. He seemed like a nice enough guy. Besides, if he made Harper happy who was she to try to bug him she reminded herself.

BY the time she had finished those thoughts she had exchanged the usual smiles one did on parting with acquaintances and Jeremy had left. She had gone ahead and hugged Harper, a bit belatedly but sincerely and watched her best friend scamper after her latest crush. Unable to think of anything else she really wanted to do she shrugged again and went on to class.

After school she reported to detention as usual and took her normal after school nap. Harper was waiting when Mr. Laritate let her go and the two girls walked home together. Harper, of course, was bubbling over with the day's events. Of course her conversation kept returning to the new boy on her life.

"He's just the cutest thing Alex," Harper sighed happily. "We're going to be lab partners and everything together. And I can hardly wait for Saturday night. He really IS going to take me out."

Alex nodded along with Harper's breathless recital. She firmly reminded herself of her promise and made no comments other than "Oh really?" and "That sounds great!" as her friend continued to prattle on. The best part about listening to Harper was that mostly she didn't have to listen.

"One funny thing though," her friend frowned.

"What's that?"

"More than once Jeremy asked me about someone I don't know. But he asked like I should have known that someone, that she should have been quite familiar to me. And to you too. He mentioned you a time or two when he was asking about her."

"Who in the world was he talking about?"

This time it was Harper s turn to shrug. "The thing is I really have no idea. Or at least I don't THINK I do. It all seems a bit muddled. Does the name 'Stevie' mean anything to you?"

For a second a shock ran through Alex's body and she broke stride and staggered. A rush of images flooded her mind but she couldn't pick any single one out and focus on it. There WAS something there, something familiar and at the same time something she shied away from in... In fear? In surprise? In shame? Then as fast as the images had come they disappeared and she searched her memory in vain.

"Alex are you alright?"

The wizard girl found that she must have closed her eyes because she had to open them to see Harper's anxious gaze. She looked down at where Harper's hand was gripping her arm and realized that was all that had kept her from probably falling down. What was going on?

"I'm, I'm fine Harper. Thanks." In fact she was anything but alright but she didn't want to worry her friend. She managed to reassure the other girl and they finished their walk home.

That night after everyone was a sleep Alex tossed and turned restlessly. What was going on? Why had the name "Stevie" upset her so much? There was no doubt that it had, that it had called to something that she couldn't bring to mind. And what did Jeremy have to do with all of this? Alex knew that somehow he was connected.

At the same time that Alex was cudgeling her memory the young man had thought of was stretched out on his own bed. His eyes were open but they weren't focused on the ceiling of his bedroom.

"Becky, I've made contact with Harper," he astrally advised his cell leader. "We're teaming up as science lab partners and going out on a date. We've already started to hang around a bit so I've been able to ask a casual question or two."

"Anything surprising? Did they buy your story about what had happened to you?"

"That's one of the surprising things Becky. I didn't need to tell it. There didn't seem to be any surprise on anyone's part about seeing me. You would have thought Harper and Russo too had never seen me fall in that hole."

"That's strange."

"It gets stranger. When I mentioned I hadn't seen her friend Stevie around Harper seemed to have absolutely no idea who I was talking about. She just looked at me with a blank expression and asked 'Who?'."

"Do you think she's bluffing?"

"I don't think so. What would be the point of that? I wondered if Russo had used a forget spell on her but once again, why?"

"Have you had a chance to talk directly with Russo?"

"No. I'll have to be very careful about that. Other than Harper we have absolutely nothing in common."

"Unless," the female conspirator said thoughtfully without finishing her sentence.

"Unless what?"

"I need to take this up with the Inner Circle but I have an idea. We'll see." She smiled. "Anyway, good job even if some of this, heck all of it, is rather startling. Contact me again if you learn anything new."

"Will do." The young man shivered slightly and his attention returned to his room. He rolled onto his side, close his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Since he was asleep Jeremy never saw the shadow that had lingered in a corner of his room since he had first projected to give his report finally move across the wall. Before it disappeared there was a barely audible sound.

"Curiouser and curiouser."

(To Be Continued)

(I'm sure everyone noticed that after "The Good, the Bad and the Alex" any mention of Stevie and what went on simply disappeared from the show never to be heard from again. So I'm using that and why that happened as part of my plotline.) 


	3. Alex Remembers

Revolution Chapter 3 by patricia51

(Alex Remembers)

The week passed. Alex looked forward to Saturday and not just for the usual relaxation of sleeping until Sunday. She couldn't recall being this on edge about something as unimportant as a name. A name that she couldn't pin down except for the undeniable fact that when she thought of that name her stomach turned over. But why?

Strangely she didn't seem to have any trouble pushing "Stevie" and all of the associated mental and physical upset out of her mind. Okay, she was good at ignoring things she didn't like. But when the swirling unfocused thoughts were in her head she felt worse than she had even with the whole school mad at her and she hadn't been able to push that out of her mind. And then those thoughts would all go away just as though she had forgot it all again.

She had been so bugged that she had even gone to science class. Twice. The teacher who taught the class had stopped calling her name so long ago he didn't think she belonged in there. She sighed. That was just how she liked her teachers in anything except Art to think; that Alex Russo was just a figment of someone's imagination or something like that.

"Figment of the imagination". Okay, now she was giving herself headaches. This whole "Stevie" thing seemed to be just that, something deep in her imagination run wild.

Speaking of her imagination, was it only imagination that made her see Jeremy every time she turned around and him very carefully NOT watching her? She actually went as far as writing down the number of times she seemed to "just run across him" in a day. Way too many for it to be a coincidence.

So what was going on? Alex definitely did NOT like the idea that someone was playing her for a sucker. She was the one who did that. So Saturday she was going to see what she could find out from Jeremy, even if she had to use magic. He would be coming by to pick up Harper for their date. She preferred the idea of having him on her own home ground. Jeremy had the answers. He had to have them. She hoped.

It hadn't taken much to make Harper run behind schedule getting ready for her date. So she had plenty of time to welcome Jeremy to their house and casually chat with him. There weren't any repeats of the awful look she had seen that first day.

Once she had him settled she flashed Jeremy a smile and told him she would try to hurry Harper along. Then she asked if she could get him something to drink. He had relaxed slightly but he clearly was on edge with her.

The edginess couldn't be helped. In fact it might help. Thoughts she needed to find would be close to the surface. They always were when someone was trying to hide something. And she felt sure Jeremy was.

Out of sight she banged around the refrigerator, getting a soda for Jeremy and slipping her wand from its usual hiding place in her boot. Just for a moment she stopped. Who else hid their wand there? Darn it the little slips and bits of memory that she couldn't trace down really were frustrating her. And a frustrated Alex was not a happy camper. Not that she would ever go camping of course.

Alex muttered the words of a truth spell, aiming her wand at the back of Jeremy's head as she did. She tucked her wand away and returned with a bright smile on her face.

"Here you go."

"Ah, thanks."

Alex perched on the other end of the couch where she had seated Jeremy. She chatted away, talking about school and Science and how nice it was that he was taking Harper out.

"By the way," she asked casually. "Harper was mentioning a friend named Stevie that I don't think I have heard from in a while. Have you talked to him?"

Expressions of surprise and shock chased each other across the young man's face for just a moment. Making a visible effort Jeremy got hold of himself. Alex held her breath in anticipation.

"I don't know any guy by that name," Jeremy said, too obviously picking his words with great care. "Harper must have misunderstood or something."

Alex knew darned well she had touched a nerve. But somehow he was avoiding the question. The truth spell was working, she could feel it. And Jeremy had darned well inquired about Stevie. The reaction she kept having to his name proved that something was way out of kilter.

Before she could delve deeper into what was developing into a confrontation Harper bounced into the room. Intent on her quest Alex wanted to keep going regardless of whether it made the pair late for their dinner reservations or not but Jeremy turned all his attention on Harper. The pair chatted brightly and constantly until they were out the door. Alex doubted he would be back.

In that she was correct. When Harper opened the front door and came in she was alone. She explained Jeremy had declined her invitation to come in but made up for leaving in a special way. She winked at Alex and touched her lips. The dark haired wizard managed to make some appropriate noises.

That night Alex pondered. What had she learned? There was no such guy as Stevie. That didn't make sense. She wasn't having these visions for nothing... wait a minute! No such GUY as Stevie. She closed her eyes. Of course. Stevie was a girl. There was a face that she couldn't quite focus on but it was definitely that of another teen girl. She finally managed to fall asleep clutching that knowledge.

That same night Jeremy gave his report.

"Alex tried a truth spell on me tonight to ask about Stevie. She had no idea that I had used one on her as well. She definitely does not remember Stevie. In fact she thinks 'Stevie' is a boy."

"Are you sure?" demanded Becky. "Not that I doubt your skills," she added hastily, "but the overall implications of this are very worrisome. Keep a low profile and I'll be back in touch."

The cell leader broke the connection but remained lying down with her eyes closed. She sent a telepathic message to Kat, her normal contact in the Inner Circle and laid out the results of Jeremy's investigation.

"Kat what worries me is that it really appears someone very powerful orchestrated Stevie's death. Alex Russo and her friends and family don't remember anything about Stevie and after questioning Jeremy it seems that Alex acted completely out of character when she betrayed Stevie. Either she is the most skilled wizard in the world at hiding her feelings and beliefs or she is just exactly what Stevie and I thought she was; a perfect recruit to our cause."

"This is very troubling," Kat frowned. "I sense someone manipulating everyone involved. We may be on the verge of being discovered. We may have to take action very soon."

Meanwhile Alex spent another toss-and-turn night. These were getting to be way too much of a habit she decided. Sunday morning she actually got up early, determined to sit down with someone and talk the whole thing out.

Normally Alex never asked anyone for help. Well sometimes during detention when she was the only one she talked to Mr. Laritate but generally the only person she sought help from was Justin and that for when she couldn't solve a problem that her use of magic had got her into. But somehow this seemed like a question that needed someone older and wiser. She often had her doubts about the second part but she knew the first one fit so she went and explained things to her Dad.

"Why not try the 'Jog your memory' spell?" he suggested.

"Oh is that what that is for?" Alex laughed. "I saw 'jog' and I bailed."

Jerry smiled in appreciation of his daughter's wit even as he acknowledged that was probably exactly why his beloved but exasperating daughter had skipped a spell she thought might have exertion involved in it. Then the smile faded and he assumed a puzzled look.

Not always the most observant person when it came to other people, although she really was a lot more than she let on, Alex caught the change of expression.

"What is it Daddy?"

"It's strange. I feel like this has happened before. As Yogi Berra once said "It's Deja-Vu all over again'."

Before Alex could ask her Dad what a cartoon bear had to do with anything he shook his head.

"Doesn't matter I guess." He stopped and looked more thoughtful than Alex had seen him look in a long time. "Or maybe it does."

"What are you talking about?"

"The more I think about it the more I feel like someone has gone through an awful lot of trouble. One forget spell isn't that hard but one that would erase the memories of our family and everyone at school needs a lot of power. Who could do such a thing and why?"

"Not everyone," Alex reminded her father. "Jeremy remembers her."

"And he seems to be the only one," her Dad told her. "Why is that?'

"I don't know."

"Neither do I but it worries me."

"Daddy, I have to know."

"Why? Jerry asked earnestly. "This doesn't seem like you Alex. You've always been the one to shrug your shoulders and say things don't matter. I worry that this could put you in danger."

Alex looked as stubborn as she felt. "I just have to know. Something is wrong and I feel like I part of the reason it is wrong."

Jerry shrugged but there was more than a bit of pride along with the affection in his look. "I don't know that I like it but I also don't like the feeling this whole thing gives me. Go ahead."

Alex plucked her wand from her boot and swung it through the proper gestures.

"Do what you say, say what you mean, one thing leads to another, remember."

The pair stood still for a moment. Alex closed her eyes and reeled as the memories flooded over her. Finally she opened her eyes.

"Oh my God."

The shadow on the wall said nothing but darkened as though whatever unseen thing was casting it had grown more solid.

(To Be Continued) 


	4. Learning Experience

Revolution, Chapter 4 by patricia51

(Sorry this took so long. Lighting strike on my computer and I just got it back from the shop. I did have my stories on a flash drive but no way to work on them or submit anything.)

(Learning Experience)

"Oh my God."

Alex swayed as the flood of memories pouring back threatened to overwhelm her. She clapped her hands over her head as though somehow they could steady her as she nearly fell. In fact she would have fallen had not her Father grabbed her.

"Alex, what is it?"

The young wizard tried to answer but she couldn't. Her mind was too busy trying to digest the images. Stevie. Of course, Stevie. Now she remembered.

Here was Stevie strolling into detention as if she owned it, flopping carelessly into a chair after evicting the former occupant with a look. Here was Stevie casually revealing her stash of Justin's campaign flyers that she had used to paper Mr. Laritate's office. And here they were together giggling over white beards and pointed hats and going to the Wizard County Fair. And then was Stevie revealing her plans to Alex and the two of them going off together only to have Alex lure her to the hall of transfer and freeze her.

Alex's stomach turned as she saw Max brush Stevie's frozen body and all of them watched as Stevie's body toppled and shattered into pieces. Her gorge rose as she watched her brothers, Stevie's brother Warren and herself all make light of the situation and leave without a backwards glance.

"No, no, no, no, no." Alex sank to her knees and buried her head in her hands. "I wouldn't do that, I wouldn't."

Jerry stood appalled for a moment before calling for Theresa and picking his daughter up bodily and carrying her to the nearby couch. He held her and shushed her.

"What happened to Alex?" Theresa cried as she rushed in the room. Usually she dealt with Jerry's "emergencies" by ignoring them but something in her husband's voice had convinced her that this time it was for real. Hastily sitting on the other side of Alex she wrapped an arm around her weeping daughter.

"What happened?"

"She did a memory spell about someone named Stevie."

"Stevie?" Theresa's eyes widened. "I had forgotten about her too. She was a friend of Alex's from school wasn't she?"

Jerry nodded. "I remember her now too. She came over a couple of times. A bit on the wild side maybe and Harper was jealous for a bit but that all worked out." He looked puzzled. "I can't imagine why we would all be placed under a forget spell. It doesn't seem like such a big deal. She wasn't here very long."

Rapid steps sounded, heralding Justin as the oldest Russo child burst into the room. He had a frantic look on his face.

"Oh my GOD."

"What is going on?" demanded Jerry, nearly as frantic as his two older children.

Alex looked up from between her parents. "You remember too don't you?"

"Yes," replied Justin with a stunned look on his face. He crossed the room and knelt in front of his sister.

"Alex, it wasn't your fault."

"What do you mean it wasn't my fault," cried Alex. "You remember too. I caused it."

"Caused what?" Jerry nearly screamed.

"Stevie's death," Alex replied numbly.

"No you didn't, I did." The foursome turned to see Max. "I didn't mean too though! It was an accident!"

"But I'M the one who froze her. When she thought that she was my friend."

"Okay, enough of all this. I want everyone to calm down," the Russo patriarch abandoned his often silly ways and assumed some of the stature that reminded the three children that their father had won the family competition and only was without powers because he had given them up for their Mother. "Theresa come over here. And I want the three of you to sit down on the couch and tell me what happened. Alex, you first."

Alex took a deep breath and started. She told about Stevie's mention of her brother and how they didn't talk and her decision to find him and arrange a reunion. Then had come the astounding revelation that Stevie had lost her wizard competition and was refusing to surrender her powers. More than that, she was organizing a group of young disaffected wizards who had lost or were likely to lose their own families' competitions in the hopes of creating a spell that would allow all wizards to keep their powers.

She faltered when she talked about Stevie's invitation to join with in the plan and her acceptance. Her voice grew very thin and she couldn't look at anyone when she whispered about coming to the Hall of Transfer with Stevie and how in what the other girl thought was her moment of triumph she had frozen her friend.

"And then... and then... " She stopped, unable to go on.

"And then I was showing off and tripped against Stevie." Max said. "She fell over and she split in thousands of pieces."

"What did you do then? Asked Jerry, the first words he had said since the story had started.

"We left." said Justin. "All three of us. And Stevie's brother Warren too."

"You didn't try to do anything for her?"

"No," cried Alex. "Daddy we made jokes about it instead of helping her."

"Let me think." Jerry stood silently for minute after minute. He walked up and down the room. A troubled look grew on his face, a troubled look that was even darker than the one Alex recalled when she first told him about their missing memories.

"What's going on?" whispered Justin. "All of a sudden I remembered Stevie. Before it was like she didn't exist." He paused. Now that I do recall her I'm not sure I like how I acted towards her at times."

Jerry stopped pacing. "Come with me." He led the family to the Magic Lair. Pointing at a watermelon he had put on a stool for some lesson or other her looked at Alex.

"Take your wand and freeze that."

Alex plucked her wand from her boot and pointed it. A look of confusion crossed her face.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know the spell."

"Are you sure? Justin cast it for her."

The oldest Russo boy thought. "I don't know it either."

Jerry folded his arms. "This is what I thought. The three of you have been used."

"Used?"

"Justin I want you to find your Uncle Kelbo and find him right now."

Justin fired up the Worldwide Wiz Web as Alex asked what they needed with Uncle Kelbo.

"He can cast a spell to see if you all have been under the influence of another wizard, which I'm pretty certain you have been."

"I could try casting it," remarked Justin just before he said "Here he is. He's back in the Viking days again."

"This spell should only be done by a full wizard and if as I suspect you have been affected by someone it won't work properly anyway. Alex, please go get your uncle. You're his favorite."

For the first time in hours Alex smiled. She waved her wand and disappeared, only to return moments later with Kelbo. For the first time the kids could remember Jerry's brother had a serious look on his face.

"Do you really believe this?"

"I'm afraid so."

"I hope you're wrong." Kelbo directed the three youngest Russo's to stand together. He took out his wand, absent mindedly setting down his Viking Shield and horned helmet. A few passes and muttered words and his look of worry deepened.

"Unfortunately you're right."

"Right about what?" cried Alex, at the end of her short amount of patience.

"Kids," Uncle Kelbo looked positively grim. "You have been under the influence of a 'Control Others' spell. Your Father is worried, as am I, for two reasons. First, the spell is absolutely positively forbidden to use on another wizard. In fact its use requires the approval of the Wizard Council. Second, it can only be cast by a very powerful and capable wizard. It's beyond me."

Absorbed as they all were at the implications at first no one heard the knocking on the door of the lair.

"That's probably Harper." noted Alex as she walked to the door and opened it. "Come on in."

"Thank you," came a voice that was definitely not Harper's.

"Jeremy? What are you doing here?"

"Well to be perfectly honest, spying on you."

"What?" at least three voices chimed in at the same time.

Alex at least was original. "Why?"

"Because," another new voice, this one female, said, "he's been trying to determine what you, and we too as well, just found out; whether you deliberately betrayed Stevie Nichols and caused her death or if you were used by someone else."

"And fortunately," yet one more figure came into view, this one a determined looking young man," it appears as if you were indeed used and used terribly."

Not just Alex but Justin and the visitors alike started as they each thought they heard a familiar voice whisper in their ear.

"I'm glad to learn that myself."

(To Be Continued)


	5. Confrontation

Revolution, Chapter 5 by patricia51

(Confrontation)

Alex studied the three new arrivals. "I suppose I have about a million questions to ask about all this but the one that really springs to mind is; why is it fortunate that I was 'Indeed used and used terribly'."

"I may have misspoke just a bit there," the young woman said. "I should have said that it was fortunate for YOU."

"Okay," Alex said agreeably. "Correction noted and my original question still stands. Why is it fortunate that I was used, although I have to say looking back on what happened I agree completely?"

"Because," Jeremy interjected, "Becky is aware, even more so than am I, that there are certain people of our acquaintance who would gladly have agreed on your meeting the same fate as Stevie."

"You mean kill me." The words were flat and a statement rather than a question.

"Yes. Stevie was not only a friend but a leader to many and much more than that to some people and one in particular. I hope that he will accept the evidence that we present showing you were an unwitting tool. He is very powerful, much more than you are Alex. I hope he will, that he is not so consumed by anger that he follows what I'm sure will be his first instinct when he sees you and attacks with deadly force."

"Sounds like someone I really could avoid meeting with my feelings being hurt very much," Alex dryly observed. "Rather like when someone asked a man what it was like to be tarred and feathered and run out of town on a rail and he replied that if it wasn't for the honor of it he would have just as soon skipped the whole thing."

A faint smile crossed the other young woman's face. She seemed to have an air of authority about her. "Understandable. But I ask that you do meet him, meet the rest of us who carry on Stevie's dream of every wizard retaining his powers."

"Is that what this is all about?" exclaimed Jerry. Shock was all over his face. "That's wrong."

"I understand that you feel that way Mister Russo," said Jeremy. "But let me ask you. Why is it wrong?"

"Because the competition chooses the best wizard from among a group of siblings," argued Jerry. "Without it there would be no incentive to study, no reason to learn. Each wizard knows that they will one day be put to the test and they must prepare for it."

"That's a perfectly rational argument and the one that has been used for heaven knows how long," replied the young woman. "But that doesn't make it right. How many promising wizards have been stripped of their powers because something untoward happens during the competition? Why should a lazy, incompetent wizard hold their powers because they are an only child while other more powerful wizards lose due to the fact that the level of ability in their family is astronomical?" She pointed to Alex and Justin.

"Take your two older children for example, Mister Russo. Justin will almost certainly win the competition. And in a way that's good. He's a dedicated wizard and will accomplish much that will make you proud I bet. Then there's Alex. She's lazy, undisciplined and careless. But the genius she sometimes shows in spell casting, especially in impromptu situations is incredible. From people like her come the huge leaps in any art or science, including wizardry."

Jerry looked at the young woman with respect in his eyes. "Well spoken. May I ask who you are?"

"I'm sorry, Mister Russo. My name is Kat and this is Becky. Becky is Jeremy's cell leader."

"And your position is?"

"I have the honor to be one of the four members Stevie chose to form the guiding council, now known as the Inner Circle." Kat smiled. "We are quite organized. After all, we're not anarchists, we're revolutionaries." She turned serious. "All of what happened to Stevie and to all of your family points to something very deep and disturbing. A great deal of power went into this and whoever did it is not going to be pleased at what has occurred now. They may have thought all this was buried but I wouldn't be surprised to find that an alarm has been triggered by now notifying them at least that SOMETHING is going on. So I suggest again that we adjourn this discussion to our headquarters where I think you will be safer."

"Agreed."

"I suggest that only the three of you go with us," said Kat with an apologetic glance at the older Russo s. "Not that I object to your presence but only the magically capable can hold their own in what I think is to come." She took a deep breath. "I would like to make a promise of safety but things have started that are beyond my control."

"I'm going," replied Alex instantly.

"Not without me," added Justin. Max only nodded his agreement. Before Jerry could even open his mouth to protest Kat drew a wand and with a single gesture swept the three siblings and the visitors away.

They all emerged in a nearly featureless room. A small table and chairs had been pushed to the side and candles in the four corners were all the light provided. But it was enough for the Russo's to see a large number of young people around the walls as well as another young woman and two young men who stood in the center of the room. The sullen expression on one man's face changed, running the gamut from shock to outrage.

"HER! You bring HER here?" He fixed a murderous look on Alex, so frightening that she took a step backwards. "I'll kill you!"

"Over my dead body," came a quiet reply as Justin stepped in front of his little sister.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Justin Vincenzo Pepe Russo at your service. With ten years of studying battle spells by the way." Justin calmly studied the angry young man, braced himself and raised his hands to begin spell casting if needed. "You may fire when ready Gridley."

Just as Alex wondered how Justin knew the young man's name was Gridley the other young man stepped between them. "Stop it Dennis. We already know from Kat's telepathic message telling us she was bringing the Russo's here that what we thought might be true is indeed fact; that the Russo's and especially Alex were as much victims in this as was Stevie. No matter how much you loved her you have to get control of yourself."

"Yes, please do," said Alex, as sincerely as she had ever suggested anything in her life. Not that she didn't think Justin couldn't handle the guy she reassured herself.

"Indeed young man, that would be the best thing to do," a new, much older voice interjected.

The entire crowd swung to the doorway. Eyes opened wide and mouths dropped open. The entire day having possibly overloaded any possibility of her being shocked again Alex recovered before anyone else.

"Professor Crumbs?"

The aged master of Wiz Tech and the head of the Wizard Council nodded. Today there was no hint of the absent minded buffoon he occasionally appeared to be. His eyes were keen and missed nothing. His demeanor was that of watchful care and his stance proclaimed he was ready for anything.

"Yes Alex."

"What are you doing here?"

"Two purposes. First I, and the other senior members of the Wizard Council, have come to express our sorrow and offer our apologies to you and to others at the death of Stevie and the steps we were forced to take to keep her plan from happening. I am truly sorry. The idea was for you to freeze her and then we would take her into custody." He suddenly looked every bit of his eight hundred plus years. "But unfortunately there was the accident and it WAS an accident that was completely unforeseen. Even our powers cannot bring someone back from the dead."

"Once it happened though we knew it would horrify you. We had already been manipulating you. Alex by having you go along with Stevie until the last minute, Justin by making you react emotionally much more than normal to the idea of Stevie's revolution."

"I wondered," the oldest Russo sibling said thoughtfully. "I did feel outrage that seemed stronger than the situation really called for."

"Yes. It of course strengthened Alexandra's following of Stevie." He looked at Alex. "You have always tended to act in opposition to your brother."

"But why didn't you just stop Stevie?"

"Because we hoped up to the last moment that she would abandon her plan. Sadly she did not. Then she was dead and we knew you would be horrified. Since you were open to us already at first we used a spell that made you not care what had happened. You simply acted as though none of what happened meant anything to you. But something like that won't last when it is so diametrically opposed to your normal natures. After all, none of the three of you really can ignore killing someone even as an accident. So we covered up your memories. But we left a magic alarm to tell us if you recovered them. You did."

"And the second reason?"

"We came here to stop this plan; stop this revolution."

"We?"

Professor Crumbs nodded towards the doorway. A file of older wizards, male and female, entered. They formed a line on either side of him, facing the Russo s and the young conspirators. There was a stir among the junior wizards. One by one another girl and two boys joined Kat and stood shoulder to shoulder facing the Council. One was Dennis, his face still filled with anger.

"Sean Rogers," Professor Crumbs spoke. "I'm surprised to find you here. Surely you know better than this."

"Surely I don't," retorted the good looking young wizard.

"But you won your competition."

"So? My sisters were just as talented, just as capable as I am. Both of them knew thousands of spells. They deserved better than to be stripped of their powers."

"That is the way of things," spoke Professor Crumbs sternly.

"But not necessarily the way things will always be," Sean said softly. Behind him the crowd of younger wizards continued to grow as more and more of Stevie's followers joined the ranks facing the Council.

"That's enough! The whole lot of you needs to disperse and give up this crazy idea. Don't make us take further action when we regret what we have had to do already."

Sean looked at the assembled Council without quailing. He glanced at the other young wizards crowding the room, many of them with their wands at the ready or their hands poised for spell-casting.

"All I can think of to say are the words spoken at the beginning of another revolution."

"Stand your ground; don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here."

The tenseness in the air grew to a near unbearable level. Older eyes locked with younger. Everyone present knew it would take only a single tiny spark to start a battle that would change the Wizard world forever. Then a voice that had up till now only been heard in haunting dreams spoke.

"STOP!"

(To Be Continued)


	6. Resolution

Revolution, Chapter 6 by patricia51

(Resolution)

"STOP!"

All eyes in the room turned towards the commanding voice. There were gasps and many of the assembled wizards, from both groups, pointed their wands at the figure. Alex felt her knees weaken as that somewhat transparent figure raked the room with burning eyes before settling that gaze directly on her.

"Stevie?"

There was a choked gasp from the angry young man. Dennis was his name Alex thought.

"Stevie."

The figure's eyes turned to rest on the boy and the hard gaze softened.

"Miss Nichols," marveled Professor Crumbs.

Stevie spoke. Her voice was faint, as though the one word outburst had taken all the energy away from her.

"Yes, it's me."

"A rather fortuitous timing I must say," said the stately head of the Wizard Council. "I am glad that you seemed to have survived, at least in some form and I assume from your command you are here to stop your followers from their mad plan."

"You would assume wrong then." replied Stevie. "On both counts by the way." The figure wavered, seemingly even more transparent than when it had first appeared. "I'm certainly not here to stop my friends and I seriously doubt that once this is over that I will have survived. At least not on this plane of existence."

"Stevie, why ARE you here?" asked Alex.

"Here? Or HERE?" The half-phantom girl asked with the wry grin barely visible that Alex now remembered so well. "At first it was anger that kept me here, anger and hatred. For you Alex. For deceiving me and then indifferently leaving what was left of me scattered across the floor. It was a burning desire for revenge, for some way to make you suffer. And it was the need to finish my plan, the plan I was so close to completing even though I couldn't share in its results."

She lifted a hand that the flame of one of the candles could be seen right through. "Of course I figured out rather quickly that someone else was responsible for what happened. That softened my feelings and I was glad. I may have been, may be rather, someone who likes to have her own way. Someone who enjoys a good practical joke, who has fun being a bit of a rebel and enjoys the swagger of being a tough girl. But the darker emotions have never been part of me."

Stevie moved across the room. Moved was the wrong word Alex though. She floated. But even then there was a hint of the deliberate swagger of her friend, one of the many things that had first drawn Alex to her. The ghostly rebel stopped in front of Dennis and lifted a hand to his face.

"Those emotions aren't part of you either. Don't let the man I love fall into this trap. The hatred will only consume you until there's nothing left." Tears glistened in the young man's eyes and he nodded jerkily. She turned from him to face Crumbs.

"Now then," she said briskly, I don't know how much time I have left so let's get right to the point." She glided to stand beside Sean. "I didn't stop what looks like to be a helluva brawl because I thought it shouldn't take place. I stopped it because I needed to say a few things AND get right up here in front. This was all my idea to begin with and I deserve to be leading the charge. So, on the count of three?"

"People are going to get hurt?" Professor Crumbs warned as he shook back the sleeves of his bedecked robe in a movement that seemed like he was drawing a weapon. "People that you profess to care about."

"It's a revolution," shrugged Stevie. "That's going to happen."

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots," quoted Sean, "and tyrants. We're not afraid. Are you?"

The air began to visibly crackle with the power building in the room. Any second now Alex realized. This time it was her turn to cry out and she stepped in between Stevie and Professor Crumbs.

"Stop! Please! There has to be another way!"

"Alex, get out of the way!" cried Stevie.

The Italian-Mexican wizard girl faltered for a moment. What in heaven's name was she doing here right in the middle of an approaching battle? To her own surprise her resolve hardened and rather than following her first instinct to run, transport or even fly away she determinedly stood her ground.

"There has to be another way," she demanded. "There HAS to be."

NO, Miss Russo there is not," replied Professor Crumbs. "The Council will not stand by and watch centuries of tradition overthrown."

"Even when those traditions are out modeled and unfair," answered Dennis.

"They have sustained our people the wizards safely through generations and kept us concealed from the humans who would seek to destroy us."

"The days of the Salem Witch Trails are centuries behind us," reminded Stevie. "Covens of witches exist publically nowadays. And the present contest has not proved to be all that competent." She went on to list the same arguments that Sean had discussed earlier, including the comparison of Alex and Justin, who had joined his sister, determined as he always was to protect her or at least rescue her from another mistake.

"What you say has much validity to it," admitted Professor Crumbs. "But letting all wizards keep their powers is no better. There will be just as many possible incompetents and even more irresponsible people who don't have the control to use their magic properly. And just because people are more accepting and minority group rights are more respected does not eliminate the possibility of a pogrom, especially among those who would covert our powers and be unwilling to accept they are a birthright only."

"Perhaps it isn't fair," the elder wizard said wearily," but there is no other option." He straightened and a look of determination filled his eyes. "And yes, Sean, I am afraid but only because I fear the destruction that will fill this room if you challenge the Council."

Alex had never heard of a Mexican Standoff but that was exactly what she was facing. Her mind raced frantically, and not only because she was standing right in the middle of what looked like to be an all out war any moment. One word kept resonating in her mind. "Contest, contest," why did she keep thinking of the contest? Then, with her usual desire she had to shorten anything to more manageable levels, which usually gave her a better chance to avoid having to do anything involving work, the answer came to her. Not contest but...

"Test!" she shrieked. "A test."

On both sides hands relaxed and wands were lowered. Just slightly. Watchful eyes maintained their vigil on the other group, waiting for any sign of an attack.

"What do you mean?" asked Professor Crumbs.

"I just thought of it. To graduate from High School now you not only have to pass your courses but you have to pass the graduation Examination. A test to see if you know what you are supposed to have learned. Why wouldn't the same thing work for wizard powers?" Alex colored with embarrassment. "I've been a bit worried about passing the one at Tribeca Prep so it's been on my mind."

Silence settled on the room.

"It still would mean that some wizards would lose their powers," said Sean thoughtfully. "But it would give everyone an even chance."

"Perhaps there could be re-exams in the case of those who came close to the standards but didn't meet the requirements," added Kat.

"What would be the requirements and who would decide them?" demanded Dennis.

Professor Crumbs held up his hand. "All good thoughts. There is much that would need to be worked out but perhaps this is a program that could work." He looked at Alex and amusement crept over his face mingled with respect. "A certain school principal has described you as an 'evil genius' Alexandra. Perhaps the 'evil' part is not as applicable as he thinks. Anyway, I'm glad now that I didn't take your powers that time."

"So am I. Alex hesitated and then looked over at both sides. Just one question. Why in the world among everyone here did it take ME to come up with this idea? Why didn't anyone else before?"

Now it was Professor Crumbs turn to look sheepish. "Hidebound adherence to tradition I suppose. And I confess it, when you have lived as long as most of us on the Council have you tend not to think about changing things."

Sean shrugged. "I guess we got carried away with the idea that all wizards should keep their powers without considering the idea that some have no business with them."

"I think we can come to an agreement," the white-bearded wizard announced. "If the four of you," he indicated the Inner Circle members, "would agree to sit down together with an equal number of Council members I believe you can hammer out a new policy that will extend the number of wizards keeping their powers to all those who deserve them." He turned to Stevie. "That includes you too Miss Nichols."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible Professor," said Stevie steadily. Alex was horrified to see the other girl's body was becoming more transparent as they all watched. "Now that the issue that kept me here is settled I think it's obvious that it's time for me to go on to wherever I am supposed to be already."

"No Stevie, please. Don't go," Alex ran to the other girl and tried to grip her hands as though she could hold her to this world. Her fingers passed right through Stevie's.

"Oh God don't," pleaded Dennis. "I thought I'd lost you once. I can't go through it again."

"Poor Dennis," the fading phantom girl whispered. "I'm so sorry. I'd stay if I could. I love you." She flowed against the young man and lifted her pale lips to his. Their lips met in a kiss as fervent as Sam Wheat and Molly Jensen ever exchanged. And something happened.

Stevie's body grew more solid. Not much but enough to notice. But Alex saw that as Stevie became solid that Dennis started to fade.

"What's going on?" asked Justin who had come to once again to stand with his sister.

"He's passing energy to her," exclaimed Alex. "But there won't be enough. He could kill himself."

"What can we do?"

"We can help."

"How?"

"I have no idea but I have to try." Alex wrapped her arms around Dennis, closed her eyes and tried to somehow project herself into the struggle taking place. She visualized a stream of light flowing from herself through Dennis to Stevie.

"It's working!" Alex heard Justin cry out but the words already seemed far away. She stumbled slightly and her head began to spin but she refused to let go. Then a pair of arms seized her and she realized her brother had joined the battle. Then there were other presences she could feel as the other young wizards surrounded them and added their own power to the fray. Finally what seemed to her mind's eye as a towering white flame enfolded all of them and she knew Professor Crumbs was there.

The world seemed to freeze for a moment and then an earthshaking rumble flung them all to the ground. When the group untangled themselves a great shout went up. For in the middle of the room in Dennis' arms was a very solid, very much alive Stevie.

Once the jubilation calmed down Professor Crumbs, a much more familiar twinkle in his eye than the seriousness that had been there earlier said "I assume this means that you will be able to provide your input into this new arrangement after all Miss Nichols?"

"You can count on it!" she exclaimed. Still supported by Dennis the former leader of the wizard revolution followed the Professor and the rest of the Council out the door with her other three main supporters right behind. As she reached the doorway she stopped and looked over her shoulder. Seeing Alex she gave a wink. And smiled. Max had joined them in the struggle to save Stevie and the three siblings listened as the group continued on, Stevie's voice floating down the hall to them even after she was out of sight.

"For one thing the Hall of Transfer needs to be eliminated or at least modified. I mean really, having someone report there when the competition takes place elsewhere is like telling someone 'You have an appointment to be guillotined at 10 AM sharp on Tuesday. Don't be late. It's all but cruel. If a wizard does need to have their powers taken away it should be done on the spot of the test, not drawn out."

Alex smiled. Alex laughed. And Alex all but collapsed as her strength and knees gave out at the same time. Her brothers each grabbed an arm and steadied her.

"Can we go home now?" asked Max, disappointment on his face as he realized once again he wouldn't get to be king.

"You bet," said Justin. "Click your heels together three times Dorothy Gale," he mock instructed his sister.

"Justin!"

"You can do it, Alex."

"You bet I can!"

(The End)

(I used several famous quotes in this story and think it's only fair to give the credit for them here. Justin's "You may fire when ready Gridley" is a famous naval saying uttered by Admiral Dewey during the Spanish-American War. It tickled me that Alex would, of course, know nothing of that and assume that "Gridley" was Dennis' name. "The tree of liberty..." is from the writings of Thomas Jefferson. And most important "Stand your ground..." was the command given by Captain John Parker to the Lexington militia on April 19, 1775 that was the start of one of the most important Revolutions in all of history.

"By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April's breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood And fired the shot heard round the world."

Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Concord Hymn")


End file.
